Great American Beaches 2008

The best U.S. beaches—from tranquil to clubby, and from terrestrial marvels to watery wonders.

The best U.S. beaches—from tranquil to clubby, and from terrestrial marvels to watery wonders.

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Travel + Leisure

June 10, 2010

It’s no surprise that this summertime, American travelers are planning to stick close to home. But that’s no cause for disappointment: the United States has 95,000 miles of shoreline, including plenty of spectacular beaches in a range of flavors to suit every sun-and-sand fan.

Some U.S. beaches are secluded enough to rival island oases in the Caribbean, with sparsely populated stretches of sand and remote points of entry. Horseshoe Beach, in La Jolla, California, is only accessible by a single, unmarked stairway; getting to Ladies Beach on Cape Cod’s Nantucket island requires four-wheeling along a series of dirt tracks.

For those who prefer community rather than isolation, there are plenty of U.S. beaches that function as social hubs-on-the-sea. Some are glamorous hotspots—like Santa Barbara’s Butterfly Beach, common for celebrity sightings. Others, like Fort Lauderdale’s city beach, attract all walks of local life, and are simply great places to get a feel for local culture.

Nature lovers have lots of choices for getting their fix, too; some of America’s beaches double as wildlife preserves (or just fabulous landscape photo-ops). Among them are Big Sur’s Pfeiffer State Beach, framed by looming bluffs and dramatic rock outcroppings; and Meyers Creek Beach, in Oregon, where the beachside dunes are carpeted with wildflowers every summer.

Of course, what happens on land is only half the fun of beaches; for many of us, jumping into the water is the real point. Those who like splashing as much as sunning head to spots like Gooseberry Beach, in Newport,Rhode Island—with calm, protected waters and lots of tidepools for exploring. There’s also Malibu’s Zuma Beach, where the easy swells are perfect for bobbing and bodysurfing.

Yes, American beaches run the gamut—from tranquil to clubby, and from terrestrial marvels to watery wonders. Some are so different it’s hard to fathom they’re part of the same country. But in the end, what’s greatest about beaches in the U.S. is what they all have in common: their closeness. True shore hounds could hit several of the beaches on our list in a single summer if they wanted—no passport or plane travel required.

Makes us feel downright patriotic.

Beach Buzz

There are seven quintillion, 500 quadrillion (7,500,000,000,000,000,000) grains of beach sand in the world

Wherever you are in Florida, you can't be farther than 60 miles from a beach—the state has 1,350 miles of them

In July, Key West has the country's warmest water, at 87 degrees. The coldest, 50 degrees, is found off Eastport, Maine

1 of 20Courtesy of Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce

Ladies Beach - Nantucket, Massachusetts

Great For: Seclusion. Follow dusty SUV’s as they dogleg left before Cisco Beach and bump through a maze of dirt roads to seek out laid-back Ladies Beach, on the southwestern edge of Nantucket.

Beach Eats: On the way, stock your picnic basket with made-to-order sandwiches and side salads from Bartlett’s Farm and Whale’s Tale Pale Ale from Cisco Brewers.

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2 of 20Jessica Schwartzberg

Pfeiffer State Beach - Big Sur, California

Great For: Nature. Windblown Pfeiffer beats out considerable coastal competition in California, thanks to stunning granite outcrops offshore—one with a tunnel worn through it. Walk on the sand 10 minutes north to Deer Canyon (there’s no sign, but it’s the only canyon you’ll see). A rugged trail angles up and left before ending on the bluffs.

Where To Stay:Post Ranch Inn has added 10 redwood rooms, but the “tree houses,” on nine-foot stilts, are still the best place to channel your inner child.

Long Branch Beach - Long Branch, New Jersey

Great For: Swimming. Long Branch’s wide sands are lapped by sometimes-sizeable waves (you’ll see surfers doing their thing on windy days). But on calm summer afternoons, they roll in gently enough that kids can play without fear.

Beach Eats: South Beach chic has come to the Jersey Shore, with the opening of the David Collins-designed Avenue brasserie.

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5 of 20Courtesy of Hawaiian Style Organization, LLC

Waianapanapa Black-Sand Beach - Maui, Hawaii

Great For: Seclusion. On Honokalani Road, just off the Hana Highway, is Waianapanapa, a black-sand cove set between cliffs. Watch daredevils paddle their boards beyond the weathered rock arches and lava tubes jutting from the shore.

Beach Eats: Try the meaty, charred burgers at R. J. Grunts, a restaurant with a 1970’s hippie shtick. (It’s where über-chef Grant Achatz takes his kids when he’s not at his restaurant Alinea.)

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7 of 20Jessica Schwartzberg

Zuma Beach - Malibu, California

Zuma Beach - Malibu, California

Great For: Swimming. Over 40 miles of coast hug the base of the Santa Monica Mountains, but natives know to take the Pacific Coast Highway straight to Zuma for mellow swells and two miles of sizzling sand.

T+L Tip: The area has 2,025 parking spaces, but be sure to arrive by 10:30 a.m.—come noon, the lots are full.

Butterfly Beach - Santa Barbara, California

Great For: People-watching. This golden half-mile sliver, in the tony Montecito neighborhood, has head-on views of Santa Cruz Island and almost-as-reliable sightings of local celebs like Kevin Costner.

T+L Tip: The patio scene at Cava almost upstages the rock-shrimp tacos.

Where To Stay: Ask for the complimentary Beach Butler services (chair setup, two-way cordless phones) at the Four Seasons Biltmore.

Kiawah Island - Kiawah Island, South Carolina

Where To Stay: From its PGA-worthy golf courses to tie-dyeing sessions at the kids’ camp, the Sanctuary at Kiawah Island has everyone covered.

Pack a Lunch: Specializing in creamy she-crab soup (lump crabmeat, crab roe, and mirepoix), The Market at Town Center, prepares everything to go.

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11 of 20Courtesy of Preston Manning

Hanakapiai Beach - Kauai, Hawaii

Great For: Nature. Two miles into the 11-mile-long Kalalau Trail on Kauai’s Napali coast, Hanakapiai is a welcome pitstop. Tucked between two narrow cliffs, the beach is framed by a deposit of boulders.

T+L Tip: The beach is a bit of a tease: swimming is strongly discouraged, because of the violent surf.

Where To Stay: Plan ahead to book the one-room Jungle Cabana, if only for the outdoor, torch-lit bathtub shielded by a bamboo fence.

Fort Lauderdale City Beach - Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Great For: People-watching. A complete cross-section of the city can be found along the three-mile stretch between Las Olas and Sunrise Boulevards: at the corner of Route A1A, coeds congregate over drinks; across from Sebastian Road, the gay area runs for a block or so; and on the northernmost end, families and retirees gather.

T+L Tip: Head north of Sunrise for the most elbow room.

Where To Stay: The latest luxury hotel to arrive is the 187-room St. Regis.

Beach Eats: American cuisine gets a tropical and Asian makeover at Casablanca Cafe.

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14 of 20Kamrin Rife

Meyers Creek Beach - Gold Beach, Oregon

Great For: Nature. In summer, the dunes blaze with purple and yellow flowers, and a rainbow of windsurfers—drawn by the waves, strong winds, and shallow sloping beach—fills the horizon.

T+L Tip: Don’t leave anything behind in the car. The most scenic entry is from the top of Cape Sebastian, 700 feet above the ocean. It’s a steep two miles down.

Crandon Park Beach - Key Biscayne, Florida

Great For: Families. Right offshore, a vast sandbar makes for endless wading, and on the beach you’ll also find a baseball diamond, volleyball courts, and a nature center with trails through the adjacent mangroves.

Cumberland Island State Park - Cumberland Island, Georgia

Great For: Nature. The undeveloped barrier island—a former Carnegie family retreat—has majestic wild horses, 18 miles of sugary beaches, and an abundance of hiking trails through sand dunes, palmetto forests, and bird-filled salt marshes.

T+L Tip: No more than 300 visitors are allowed on the island at a time, so make your ferry reservation (912-882-4335) several months ahead.

Where To Stay: At spectacular Greyfield Inn, the island’s only hotel, resident naturalist Fred Whitehead leads Jeep tours exploring the local ecology.

Picnic Lunch: The only place to eat and sleep on the island is the Greyfield Inn (on the Cumberland Island shore), and it’s closed to non-guests on weekends. Before boarding the ferry for the 45-minute ride to the island, day-trippers should swing by the St. Marys Market on the Square grocery.

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18 of 20Valerie Nelson

Popham Beach State Park - Georgetown, Maine

Great For: Families. Midcoast Maine isn’t all rocky coves, as this 1 1/2-mile stretch of fine sand in Phippsburg proves.

T+L Tip: At low tide, a land bridge links the beach to Fox Island, a favorite for tide-pool hunting.

Rosemary Beach - South Walton, Florida

Great For: Swimming. Rosemary has the same calm Gulf waters and sparkly quartz sand (it actually squeaks between your toes) as its neighbors along the 26-mile stretch of the Florida Panhandle. The difference: vacationers jam the beaches of Easter egg-colored Seaside, but it’s possible to find yourself alone here if you time things right (between September and December, the water still averages 79 degrees).

Where To Stay: Try for one of the four Gulf-view rooms at The Pensione, a brick-red hotel with blond-wood furnishings.

Cool Down: Sip a glass of limeade from old-timey purveyor Sugar Shak, a five-minute stroll from the beach.

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20 of 20Courtesy of Hotel Parisi

Horseshoe Beach - La Jolla, California

Great For: Seclusion. The closest thing to an undiscovered find on a bustling, built-up coast, Horseshoe will never draw big crowds with its location; the crescent moon of shoreline is only accessible by an unmarked stairwell (off Coast Boulevard near Prospect Street). It’s so secluded, in fact, that you can barely make it out in the above photo.

T+L Tip: At high tide, a rock jetty on the northern end of the beach doubles as a natural diving platform.